Storage battery



C. AMBRUSTER STORAGE 'BATTERY Nov. 9, 1937.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 27, 1936 Nov. 9, 1937. c. AMBRUSTER2,093,908

I STORAGE BATTERY Filed March 27, 1.936 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov.9, 19377 PATENT OFFICE aosasoa v sTomieE BATTERY Cornelius Ambruster,Glenside, Pa., assignor to The lElectric Storage Battery Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Y Application March 27,1936, Serial No. 71,269

Claims. (Cl. 136-80) The principal objects of the present invention areto refer the weight of the plate groups to the glass jar wall and inthat way permit of the use of a cover of insulating material, such ashard 5 rubber, without overloading it; to yavoid capillary spaces ofminute caliber under pressure or restraint in the metal terminal partsof the cell or between these parts and the container and its cover, andthus eliminate the corrosion which takes place in such capillary spaces;and to support the plates in such -a way that they do not approach thebottom of the jar.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription at the end of which the invention will be claimed.

Generally stated, the invention comprises for a storage battery cell,including plate groups and a rectangular container of glass, a cover andplate support comprising a rectangular frame of insulating materialseated on the top rim of the container of glass, spaced metallic strapsfrom which the plates are suspended and which span the opening in therim and rest at their ends on the frame overlying the top rim of thecontainer, with provision at these contact areas for avoiding Ycapillary spaces and for the diiusion and drainage of acid enteringthese areas from the cell, and a slat -or slats of insulating materialarranged between the straps and seated on the frame.

The invention also comprises the improvements to be presently describedand finally claimed.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top or plan View illustrating features of the invention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections taken respectively on the lines 22. and 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with parts removed or omitted.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to the left-hand side of Fig. 2 but showing, asa modication, in addition a bearing pad. n

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 'I 'I of Fig. 6, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the construction shown edge of the wall I.frame there is a marginal groove 3 adapted to On the under face of thereceive the upper edge o1' the wall. Around the central opening of theframe there is a seat-4 and an inclined wall 5. 6 indicates positive andnegative plate groups suspended in the container. Each group is providedwith a metallic supporting strap 1 and 8 integrally welded or burned tothe plates. At their endsthe straps rest upon the seats 4 4 in line withthe wall I and they span the opening in the frame 2. The detail of theseat 4 4 is shown' in Figs. 6, 'Z and 8. The underside of the strap endsis iluted with parallel triangular grooves I5 running lengthwise with'the strap, and the sharp edges of these flutings rest on the seats 4 4in such a manner that the weight of the cell element is carried on theseedges. There are then no capillary spaces at these contact areas, as thetriangular utings are so proportioned as to provide -ample space for thediius'ion and drainage of acid which may enter these spaces from thecell. If advisable, a bearing pad I6 of relatively hard non-metallicmaterial, as of glass, may be interposed between the fluted surfaces ofthe straps and the seats 4 4, to prevent the utngs from deforming therelatively soft material from which the cover frame may be constructed,as of rubber, and thus forming capillary spaces which are undesirable.

'I'he Weight of the plate groups is transmitted to the wall I and theframe is subjected only to compressive stress where it lies between thetop of the wall and the end of the straps. The straps are spaced apartand'the space between them is filled by a slat or closure 9 ofinsulating material, as rubber. The edges of the straps and of the slatare beveled as at IIJ and the beveled walls I0 and 5 provide a groove inwhich is arranged sealing material a. -The lateral edges of the slat.are provided with lips 4' which underlie the straps 1 'and 8. Sealingmaterial or compound b is also arranged in the groove 3 on the underface of the frame 2. The slat or slats 9 may be provided with alling'opening tting II. The terminal connections are indicated at I2 andI3 and they are integral or integrally connected with the straps 'I and8. As shown, the straps 1 and 8 are itted with grooves I4, and theplates, or more accurately the lugs on the plates, are arranged andburned into the grooves I4.

Inasmuch as the plate groups and their supporting straps and terminalconnections are integrally connectedthere are no open joints or crevicesand no opportunity for such corrosion to occur as takes place in suchjoints and crevlces. Again the weight of the plate groups is supportedby metallic straps which aresufllciently rugged to carry lt and,therefore, the plate groups do not 'approach the bottom 'of the cell asthey do when supported from a rubber or like cover, which under theirweight yields or deforma.

'I'he foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, but it should be construed as broadly as permissible in viewof the prior art.

I- claim:

1. For a storage battery cell including plate groups and arectangularkcontainer, a cover and a plate support comprising metalstraps spaced inward from the side walls of the container and from whichthe plate groups are suspended, a rectangular frame of insulatingmaterial on the top rim of the container and having marginal portionsextending inward from the sides of the -container to the straps toprovide with the straps a part of the cover. said frame underlying theends' of the straps to support themv and the weight of the plate groupin line with the end walls of the receptacle, and insulation illing thespace between the straps to complete the receptacle cover.

2. A storage battery cell including plates anda rectangular container, acover and plate support comprising a rectangular frame of insulatingmaterial having on one face a sealingA groove adapted to receive the toprim of the container wall and having on the other face an inclinedmarginal wall deiining a counter-sunk fiat seat. spaced metallic bevelededge straps from which the plates are suspended and which span theopening in the frame and rest at their ends on said seat overlying thetop rim of the wall, and a. closure of insulatingmaterial arrangedbetween the straps and having a `beveled edge and seated on said seat,and sealing compound arranged between the parts.

3. In combination in a storage battery cell, a vcontainer havingupstanding -walls whose upper edges define a substantially rectangularopening, a frame of insulating material resting on the upper edges ofthe wall and having in -its under surface a marginal groove adapted toreceive the upper edgesof the walls,rsaid frame having a central openingand an -upstanding peripheral rim, and having a horizontal' uppersurface between the opening and the' rim, a positive and a negativeplate group within the container, each of which is provided with a,metallic supporting strap integrally welded to the plates, said straphaving overhanging portions adapted to rest on the horizontal uppersurface of the frame over the upper edgesof the container walls wherebythe weight of the plate group is transmitted to said 'walls wholly bycompressive stress on the frame, the peripheral edges of saidoverhanging portions oi.' the strap confronting the upstanding rim ofthe frame to provide a sealing channel, the straps of the two plategroups being spaced apart, and a closure of insulating material locatedbetween the-confronting edges of the two straps whose periphery deneswith said confronting edges and with the upstanding rim of the frame asealing groove, and a sealing compound in the grooves surrounding thestraps and the closure.

4. The structure, substantially as described in claim l, and in whichthe under faces of the strap ends are uted with parallel groovestriangular lin cross-section and ranging lengthwise of the strap, andthe sharp edges of these flutes resting on the frame.

5. The structure, substantially as described in claim 1. and in-whichthe frame is provided with seats, and in which the under faces of thestrap ends are fiuted with parallel grooves triangular in cross-sectionand ranging lengthwise of the strap, and in which there are providedbearing pads of hard non-metallic material interposed between the flutesand the seats.

CORNELIUS AMBRUS'IER.

